In the art of manufacturing collapsible kites, various kite structures and configurations which are adapted to be folded or rolled for storage or shipment. Such kites usually have at least one detachable stick or strut to provide a brace between stiffening members to the kite body, and means for attaching or securing the bracing stick between the rigid sticks or struts. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,500, which issued to Hartig, a number of means of securing a detachable bracing strut are shown, such as a string, cord or the like passing through an aperture adjacent the end portion of the bracing stick, pockets provided to receive an end of the bracing strut, or a length of flexible tubing secured to the flat material of the kite body and passing over the end of the bracing strut.
The art has generally favored various forms of pockets for detachably securing the bracing strut or cross stick member to facilitate assembly by the purchaser. It is recognized that these kites are frequently assembled by young children, and kites having flexible tubing, strings or the like as attaching means have not had general acceptance because they are difficult to assemble.
On the other hand, the various brackets of the prior art which provides pockets to receive the end of a bracing strut require that the bracing strut be longitudinally arched so that the end can be inserted into the pocket. When the kite is assembled the effort to force the strut into the pocket may result in tearing of the thin sheet material of the kite body, breaking the strut, or breaking the retaining bracket. Moreover, an open pocket does not provide lateral support for the bracing strut whereby stresses on the strut are concentrated on the ends thereof. The cross strut or stick is an integral part to the entire kite structure and is subjected to varying forces tending to compress or flex the strut when the kite is flown. Such forces may be especially severe when the kite is flown in gusty winds. When the bracing strut is retained in a pocket, such stresses and forces tend to wear and break the end of the strut as well as the bottom of the pocket resulting in loosening or breaking of the cross strut.